Former WWE Superstar Taz is well-versed in the area of predetermined outcomes, and The Human Suplex Machine shared his belief Monday that both Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm are as well on the heels of their UFC 193 bout.
Holm knocked out Rousey to win the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship this past weekend, but according to Bryan Altman of CBS Local Sports, Taz revealed on CBS Radio’s The Taz Show: Bodyslams and Beyond his feeling that Rousey’s defeat was a calculated move due to her upcoming hiatus:
Why are some people not seeing this? This has been done in the wrestling industry for years. A guy or girl is going to take a break or go away, or has an injury that they have to tend to, whatever the reasons are, and they’re a champion—you take the championship off of them. You do not want your champion sitting home or making a movie, ‘Roadhouse 2’ or whatever Rousey’s going to do, or just needs a personal break, which she’s earned. This girl’s earned it. But you don’t want that person sitting home for five, six, seven months with that championship. It’s bad for business! Take the belt off her!
Taz then went on to explain the finishing sequence of the fight looked fishy to him before offering his thoughts on who may have been in on the supposed scheme: “I’m telling you right now, that whole series, was the work. And I’m not sure who was in on it and who wasn’t but I know this much: the ref probably wasn’t in on it. Maybe he was I don’t know. Rousey was in on it—and again, this is all my opinion. Holm might not have been in on it.”
Rousey was steadfast in her belief that she would remain undefeated, but Holm’s expected strategy worked and saddled Rowdy with the first loss of her career, as shown by UFC on Fox:
Everyone is seemingly looking for answers regarding how someone as dominant as Rousey could possibly get beaten so soundly by a massive underdog.
Former ECW World Heavyweight Champion Taz seems to believe he has it figured out, but he isn’t taking Rousey’s pride into account.
Most professional wrestlers don’t have any issue “putting over” opponents since they know what the business is all about, but a big part of Rousey’s popularity and desirability was the notion that she was invincible.
That is now gone, and it seems likely that the former Olympic bronze medalist in judo would have vacated the belt long before taking a dive despite its impact on the UFC’s bottom line.
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